Zimbabwe

HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe has reduced from over 30 per cent at its peak in 2000 to around 15 per cent, but major gaps in treatment remain.

MSF continues to support the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) to achieve the 90-90-90 targets set by UNAIDS. In order to improve the management of large cohorts of stable patients, community-based models of care have been introduced in Gutu, Buhera, Chikomba, Epworth, Makoni, Mutare, Mutasa and Nyanga. These models involve setting up community groups where people take turns picking up antiretroviral (ARV) drug refills. These groups have quickly grown and now include more than 5,040 patients. MSF also continues to promote the use of targeted and routine viral load monitoring, testing a total of 58,434 patients in 2015.

In a new project in Mutare, MSF is supporting the MoHCC to roll out viral load monitoring and alternative drug refill models in Manicaland province.

Paediatric and adolescent care is another focus of MSF’s HIV programme. This includes conducting ARV treatment adherence counselling and support group sessions. MSF also provides second-line ARV therapy to patients whose first-line treatment has failed.

MSF has been providing treatment, based in the community rather than in hospital, where possible, to 31 patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Epworth, Buhera and Gutu. The HIV-TB programmes in Buhera and Nyanga were successfully handed over to the MoHCC in 2015.

MSF is supporting the MoHCC in Epworth and Gutu to provide cervical cancer screening services.

Sexual violence

MSF provided treatment and psychosocial support to victims of sexual violence at the Mbare and Epworth clinics. Teams also conducted health promotion activities to raise awareness of the importance of seeking medical care within 72 hours of abuse to prevent unwanted pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. A total of 2,325 consultations were carried in 2015 at the Mbare clinic alone and, of these, 1,361 were new patients.